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Bill Cosby Charged with Sexual Assault; Interview with Victoria Valentino; Feds Investigating Terror Threat to 3 U.S. Cities; Floodwaters Topple At Least 9 Levees in Missouri & Illinois. Aired 8- 8:30a ET

Aired December 31, 2015 - 08:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

[08:00:00] UNIDENTIFIED MALE: -- safest place in the world to be.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Historic floods hitting the Midwest.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The waters are still rising.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: At this point we're waiting on the county to decide whether or not we have relief.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What looks like the river behind me, that is actually the highway.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANNOUNCER: This is NEW DAY with Chris Cuomo, Alisyn Camerota, and Michaela Pereira.

ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: Happy new year guys. Look at this. You are looking at live pictures of the new year's fireworks just starting in Sydney, Australia.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Breaking news.

CAMEROTA: It is, breaking news. It's 2016 somewhere. The dazzling fireworks over the iconic opera house in Sydney Harbor. More than a million people ringing in 2016 there as we count down the final hours of 2015 here.

MICHAELA PEREIRA, CNN ANCHOR: They do it right, don't they?

CAMEROTA: Oh, yes.

BERMAN: A whole log of vegemite being consume all at once. It's never a bad day for a vegemite in Sydney.

CAMEROTA: Good morning everybody. Welcome to your NEW DAY or your last day, sounds ominous, as Michaela has called it. It's December 31st, 8:00 in the east. Chris is off. John Berman is with us this morning.

We do begin with big news. Bill Cosby fighting criminal charges for the first time after decades of allegations from more than 50 women. The 78 year old disgraced comedian now facing the possibility of jail time for an alleged sexual assault in 2004, the charges coming just days before the 12 year statute of limitations was set to expire.

PEREIRA: Lawyers for Mr. Cosby insist this morning insist this morning their client is not guilty. They are vowing to mount a vigorous defense, and they claim Cosby is the victim of a political prosecution. We begin our coverage now with CNN's Jean Casarez. She is live in Elkins Park, Pennsylvania. Jean?

JEAN CASAREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Michaela. This is the courthouse right behind me that Bill Cosby actually just walked through yesterday into the courtroom yesterday. There are certain moments in American jurisprudence that will always be remembered, such as the arraignment of defendant Bill Cosby.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CASAREZ: Once America's beloved TV dad, now disgraced comedian Bill Cosby arm in arm with his legal team stumbling as he arrives for his arraignment in Pennsylvania on Wednesday.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mr. Cosby, anything to say?

CASAREZ: Facing criminal sexual assault charges for the first time. The 78-year-old, released on $1 million bail for three counts of alleged aggravated indecent assault of Andrea Constand in 2004. The Montgomery County D.A. filing the charges before the 12 statute of limitations was set to expire in just weeks. Constand worked with Temple University's athletic program and considered Cosby, 37 years her senior, a friend and mentor. She accuses Cosby of drugging, then assaulting her when she visited his Pennsylvania home.

KEVIN STEELE, FIRST ASSISTANT DISTRICT ATTORNEY: Mr. Cosby urged her to take pills that he provided to her and to drink wine.

CASAREZ: In the complaint Constand says Cosby told her the pills were herbal. After taking them she felt dizzy, nauseous, frozen, paralyzed, but was aware of Cosby folding her breasts and putting his hands into her pants. Though she came forward in 2005, the district attorney did not file charges, citing lack of evidence. Constand filed a civil suit against Cosby forcing him to be deposed. He settled the suit with her, the terms of which were sealed. In his own words, unsealed this July, and the original case reopened. In it Cosby admits to giving women Quaaludes but never without their knowledge. Constand, the first to publicly come forward accusing Cosby. Since then some 50 women have come forward with similar allegations over four decades, hoping now they may finally get justice.

GLORIA ALLRED, ATTORNEY FOR 29 BILL COSBY ACCUSERS: For many of my 29 client, seeing him criminally charged and having to face a trial is the best Christmas present that they have ever received.

CASAREZ: The comedian has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing and has yet to directly answer a question about the allegations. But in May he tells ABC News -- BILL COSBY, COMEDIAN: I've never seen anything like this. And

reality is the situation. And I -- I can't speak.

CASAREZ: In a statement his attorney called the charges, quote, "unjustified" and vowed that he will, quote, "be exonerated by a court of law."

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CASAREZ: And Andrea Constand is herself tweeting out this morning in regard to anyone expressing their opinions on the investigation. She says "Let's be classy, please." And Alisyn, the preliminary hearing, the next court date is set at this point for January 14th.

CAMEROTA: It's going to be interesting, love to see how all this develops. Jean, thank you for that.

[08:05:00] It's been an emotional 24 hours for many Bill Cosby accusers as they learn that their alleged attacker will face criminal charges for the first time. One of those women joins us now. Victoria Valentino says she was raped by Cosby in 1969. She has been waiting for this moment since then. Victoria, great to see you this morning. How are you feeling?

VICTORIA VALENTINO, ALLEGES BILL COSBY SEXUALLY ASSAULTED HER: Well, very emotional. It's really been a shock. I don't think any of us anticipated this was going to happen, and certainly if it was going to happen we didn't anticipate that it would happen at the end of this year. It's been a long year. So we're very grateful.

CAMEROTA: I know you are. How did you get this surprising news yesterday?

VALENTINO: Well, my cell phone started lighting up while I was sleeping. And I kept thinking, why am I getting all of this activity when everybody knows I was sleeping in because I stayed up late reading and crocheting the night before for my granddaughter? And I thought, well, something must be going on. And as it turned out a lot of friends started texting me and, did you see the news? Get up, turn on CNN. And so I did. And then I started receiving requests for interviews right from the beginning of the day. So it was a long day yesterday.

CAMEROTA: It has been a busy day. But how did you react, I mean after all of this time, after decades, Were you happy? Were you relieved? What was your first reaction?

VALENTINO: I think my first reaction I was just sort of in shell shock. Relieved, elated, emotional. I think when I saw the mug shot -- I started to cry. It was -- it just hit me so hard. And I really didn't anticipate that I was going to react that way, but I did.

And I was -- I think it is going to take a while to really process the feelings. You know, you go through this whole thing of, like, well, what does this mean for the first seven that are being countersued? How does that affect their case? What is going to happen with him? Is it really going to progress? Is he really going to get jail time? Is he going to have to really suffer the consequences of five decades of his own actions? You know, you just keep going through this litany, this grocery list of things.

CAMEROTA: Of all the different scenarios.

VALENTINO: Of what can happen, yes.

CAMEROTA: And Victoria, just for people who may not remember, your story in particular was us a one of the most heartbreaking of what you say happened to you in 1969 at the hands of Bill Cosby because you didn't know him that night. You met him at dinner. But you shared with him you were in the middle of a terribly traumatic time. Your six-year-old son had just died. And you always felt that Bill Cosby really preyed on that vulnerability of yours. And so for you in particular, what was it like for you to see that video of him walking into the courtroom yesterday?

VALENTINO: Well, I saw him stumbling and acting frail. And I think -- I think my roommate and I, we were acting that way pretty much that night after he gave us pills. And, you know, so it was kind of compensation maybe to see him in a vulnerable position as well. And the fact is that I had met him once before at dinner. I had gone for a potential audition and had shown him a picture of my son. He knew that my son had drowned. And he preyed on my grief over my child, my vulnerability, to get to my roommate who he was really interested in. He was not even interested in me. That's what made it so shocking I think, because I basically saved her from being raped while she was unconscious. And I was the sacrificial lamb.

CAMEROTA: So what do you want to see happen to Bill Cosby now?

VALENTINO: I just want him to stand up and tell the truth and take it like a man. I want the truth to come out. I want justice to be served.

[08:10:00] And I want justice to prevail for all of the women, all of these victims that have suffered watching him receive accolades all these years while they were suffering the consequences of PTSD from their encounters with him. You know, it just makes you feel so much more powerless when you see him growing and blooming, and you are just having to lock away these horrible memories in this dark little room and try to ignore how it made you feel. You know, it just makes you feel well, just powerless.

CAMEROTA: Yes. This will not be an easy case to try we've heard from our legal experts. It is from 2004. There is no physical evidence. Does justice to you only mean jail time for Bill Cosby, or just seeing him go through the adjudication process? Could that be enough?

VALENTINO: Well, yes in a way just seeing him have to stand up in court. I don't know jail time. I think I'm going to just have to leave that to the judge. But I think just seeing him have to face -- face us all, because I can almost guarantee you that many of us will be sitting out there and standing in solidarity with Andrea just to let her know that she is not alone.

CAMEROTA: Yes.

VALENTINO: So he's already lost many of his honorary Ph.D.'s. The bronze statue at Disneyworld of his has been taken down. A lot -- he's lost so many of the things that he had, you know, been awarded, that built him up. So he's been tried in the court of public opinion.

And for someone like him, I really think that that has been terrible punishment already. That doesn't mean that that should be the end. I mean, everybody has to face the consequences of their own behavior over a lifetime. We all do. It is karma. You know, you reap what you sow.

CAMEROTA: And so, Victoria, I know that part of this process you have met the other accusers. You all have formed a network and a bond.

VALENTINO: Yes.

CAMEROTA: And I know that that's been a silver lining in all of this for you.

VALENTINO: Yes.

CAMEROTA: So what is your plan with these ladies now that he's been officially charged?

VALENTINO: Well, we don't really have a plan. We're waiting. We're waiting. I think we're probably stocking up on champagne and chilling it as we speak. Who knows? You know, we -- I think we are just being very grateful for the fact that we have each other as support and some of us have become very close and have really bonded. And so many of them are such lovely, lovely human beings and so talented and so brilliant, and mothers and grandmothers, like me, mother and a grandmother. And I think that is, as you said, the silver lining.

CAMEROTA: Well, Victoria Valentino, wishing you the best in 2016.

VALENTINO: Thank you.

CAMEROTA: It's great to see you feeling happy today. Thanks so much for sharing your personal story with us.

VALENTINO: Thank you, Alisyn. It's nice to see you again.

CAMEROTA: Let's get to John.

BERMAN: Thanks, Alisyn. We do have breaking news this morning. The mother of the so called "affluenza" teenager is back in the United States this morning, arrived in Los Angeles overnight to face charges that could land her behind bars for up to 10 years. And as her son Ethan, he is still in Mexico. He is fighting deportation. CNN's Ed Lavandera is live in Dallas with the very latest. Good morning, Ed. ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, John. It's not

exactly clear why Tonya and Ethan Couch are now split up. They drove to Mexico together several weeks ago. And initially we were told yesterday that they had filed the paperwork in the immigration process there in Mexico to fight the deportation back here to the United States, but late yesterday we hear the news that essentially the duo have been split up. Ethan Couch being moved from the immigration detention facility in Guadalajara, Mexico, to Mexico City, and Tonya Couch moved and flown to Los Angeles International Airport where U.S. Marshals are in the process of bringing her back to Texas where she faces that felony criminal charge that could send her to prison for up to 10 years.

But as far as Ethan Couch is concerned, he is fighting that deportation through the legal process there in Mexico. And U.S. marshals here in the United States say they have seen this happen before, and it could take several weeks to get him back here to Texas. But this is significant because on January 19th, Ethan Couch is supposed to be in a court hearing where prosecutors in Fort Worth, Texas, are trying to get his case moved from a juvenile system into the adult system.

[08:15:07] And prosecutors here say they are not entirely clear at this point whether or not that hearing can take place if Ethan Couch isn't back here by then -- Michaela.

PEREIRA: We'll wait to see what happens.

All right. Ed, thank you, and happy New Year to you. Thanks for joining us on NEW DAY.

Counterterrorism officials meanwhile are stepping up security in three U.S. cities this New Year's Eve following threats of a possible terror attack. Federal officials are investigating. The president has been briefed. We understand.

CNN's Miguel Marquez is live in Times Square where at least one million revelers are expected to ring in the New Year in unison later tonight.

The champagne is chilled although they won't be bringing it with them down there, will they?

MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: No, no, no. No booze, no bags. It's going to be absolutely madness to get in here. Two magnetometers you'll have to go through just to get to one of these lovely little pens. They'll 65 of these gates, these pens, gated pens set up throughout this very tight area.

Right up there is where the famous ball drops. There will be a million, perhaps more than a million people packed in here. New York police say they will protect it from the land, from the sea, from the air, and even under ground in the subways. Six thousand cops just to protect this area of the city.

The mayor says the city is ready.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MAYOR BILL DE BLASIO (D), NEW YORK CITY: This is going to be a very, very safe place. Times Square on New Year's Eve is going to be one of the safest places in the country because of the huge concentration of police resources and a lot of security measures you will see. And a lot of security measures that you won't see that will help keep people safe.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MARQUEZ: Now, the biggest security apparatus ever for this event and that will be obvious in terms of the number of bomb sniffing dogs, chemical detectors, radiation detectors and cameras, thousands of cameras. So, seen and unseen ways to protect not only this area but areas throughout and different venues throughout New York City. All those parties and celebrations that used to be just that now potential soft targets after San Bernardino and Paris, the attacks there.

Alisyn, back to you.

CAMEROTA: Absolutely. We understand why nerves are on edge, but it sounds like the police are on top of it. Miguel, thanks so much for that.

More breaking news to tell you about, because the death toll is rising this morning in the historic floods hitting the Midwest. Thousands of homes and businesses threatened by rising flood waters which are expected to smash records today.

CNN's Martin Savidge is live for us in Arnold, Missouri, with more.

What's the latest there, Martin?

MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Alisyn. These are critical hours we're heading into this for this community of Arnold, it's located south of St. Louis. The Meramec River is the problem. You can see the river. You shouldn't be able to see it quite this close.

The struggle right now is to keep Highway 61 open. MODOT, the Missouri Department of Transportation, can't do much to stop the water. They are just trying to make sure it is safe enough. Even as people transit that point, they are still getting wet. It's one of the few ways in or out of town.

And here's part of what the problem is, this is, of course, one of the city parks. But there are other areas where there are at least the dozens and dozens of homes already now facing water. And then it is expected to get much worse. As you pointed out, this city according to the mayor has never seen water like this in its history.

Forget '93 and 1982, this looks like it's going to be the worst of all and they are hoping against hope that the water will begin to go down. They think the crest will come around 1:00, maybe 4:00 in the afternoon.

Tonight? Snow flurries in the forecast. They can't remember having flooding in the winter -- John.

BERMAN: All right, Martin. Some watchful hours, some nervous hours in that region. Thanks so much.

We're going to have much more on the historic floods in Midwest. Up next, we're going to speak with a Missouri mayor about the efforts to keep residents safe.

PEREIRA: Before we go to break, though, we want to show more of the incredible fireworks show in Sydney, Australia. It's already 2016 there. They have already wrung in the New Year. Enjoy this. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:22:37] PEREIRA: We're watching this historic Midwest flooding and we're showing you some live images here. Thanks to our affiliate KTVI. This is St. Louis where thousands of residents are waking up to another day of devastating floods.

Rivers are expected to crest today. In some areas the river has crested, some other areas not quite yet. They are waiting on that. Several interstates are closed at this hour in both directions for long stretches.

Joining us now is Mayor Michael Polizzi of Fenton. He also happens to be a local business owner.

So, I'm sure the stress is a little high for you, Mr. Mayor. A busy day, a concerning today.

We understand there are no levees in Fenton but you are on a floodplain and that your area is taking on a lot of water and a lot of fast-moving water.

MAYOR MICHAEL POLIZZI, FENTON, MISSOURI (via telephone): We've taken on more water in history ever that I've known in our city. It is in places we've never had it before, and businesses, homeowners are all being constricted because of the water.

PEREIRA: We understand there has been loss of life. Fourteen people have died due to flooding. Has everybody in Fenton been accounted for?

POLIZZI: You know I have to compliment our street department, police department, firefighters and volunteers, and MODOT. We came in, the flood was very fast. We had to move fast.

Subdivisions that became water-locked, we've actually build roads into them so residents could get in and out. And emergency vehicles can get to the residents in event they are needed.

PEREIRA: So many challenges in an event like this, getting people out, trying to get emergency personnel in. Talk to me about the structural integrity of the bridges and other local infrastructure. Is it holding?

POLIZZI: Well, you know, so far, we think it is. There was a picture that's making a lot of the news of a house hitting a bridge --

PEREIRA: Yes.

POLIZZI: -- here in Fenton. That is fairly new bridge built a couple of years. And so, we're really concerned about that. It was kind of our pride of a new bridge being built. And you see that house hit it, was very nerve wracking.

PEREIRA: Yes, I can imagine. Do you have any information on who's home that was and were the residents evacuated in time?

POLIZZI: Yes, we've been asking. We don't know at this time.

[08:25:00] There's just such wide spread water, it is tough to know what is happening in many places.

PEREIRA: I can imagine. Let's talking about some of the reports we're hearing about untreated sewage flowing into the Meramec River from the treatment plant there in Fenton. Can you give us the status of that leak?

POLIZZI: Yes, that's not -- that's -- most -- they have done the best they can. As we know sewer is, any type of sewer is a gravity fed system. So, sewer plants are usually located in lower areas. And the one in Fenton is the one under water.

The since it can't treat sewage at this time, it is dumping raw sewage into the river. And many are concerned about the drinking water because the drinking water comes from the same river. But our water company has assured us that we are safe on the drinking water at this time.

PEREIRA: Are local residents being asked to conserve water?

POLIZZI: Yes, they are asked to do that because they don't want to put too much pressure on the system that is in place. So, we are asked to conserve water. We are asked to -- actually we're in my -- we're even asking residents to try to stay home.

PEREIRA: Yes.

POLIZZI: With the way the roads are and streets and we don't have the real people left to rescue many people from flooded areas. So, we're building bridges to get emergency vehicles to them.

PEREIRA: Yes. No mandatory evacuations thus far in Fenton. I know you are doing a lot to protect businesses. You are a business owner yourself and I'm sure there is concern over the economy this is all going to take, but that is to worry about for later. Emergency services, are folks going to get the emergency services if they find out they are in trouble where they are in their homes? Are the roads open enough to get to people?

POLIZZI: Yes. We've made sure we have that available. We've even placed fire trucks and hard to get to neighborhoods. We put them right in the neighborhoods. So, if there is a problem, we have firefighters ready to go.

PEREIRA: Great. All right. Mayor Michael Polizzi from Fenton, just outside of St. Louis, thank you so much for joining us. We wish you well and we hope it is a more peaceful and tranquil New Year for the folks in that area.

POLIZZI: Thank you, Michaela.

PEREIRA: John?

BERMAN: All right. Donald Trump declaring war on Clintons, saying both Bill and Hilary are fair game and everything goes with that. But what about Donald Trump? Is there dirt there? Should he be worried? That's next.

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